George j



Prane rarisrrr onirica.

GEORGE J. HILL, OF BUFFALO, NEW' YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SANFORD, HARROUN & CO., OF

\ SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR NUMBERING RAILROAD-TICKETS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 31,350, dated February 5, 1861.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it linoWn that I, GEORGE J. HILL, of the city of Buffalo and State of New York, assignor to Sanford, Harroun & Co., of Butt'alo, aforesaid, printers, have invented certain neW and useful Improvements in the Construction and Operation of Numbering- )Vheels for Numbering Railroad-Tickets and other Like Purposes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part` of this specification, in Which- Figure I, is an end elevation of my improvements. Fig. 1I, is a plan of the same. Fig. IH, is a side elevation. Fig. lV, plan of numbering Wheels 1, 2, 3, With edge vieW of Wheel No. 2, showing notches and spring. Fig. V, elevation of ratchet Wheel. Fig. VI, elevation of drum. Fig. VII, section of ratchet Wheel and drum.

is the frame Work Which supports the several parts of my improvements, and Which ansWers to the main frame of a printing press.

B, represents the platen of the press, having a vertical movement in the frame (A.)

C, is the numbering Wheel as a Whole, composed of the type Wheels, 1, 2, and 8, and hung in the frame, D, by Which it is connected to the platen (B) and moving vertically thereWith. These type Wheels (l, 2, 3) have each ten projecting type teeth, upon the ends of Which are formed the 9 digits and cipher. They are arranged side by side upon a shaft or drum o', (see Fig. IV,) and upon Which they revolve, the shaft being held stationary in the frame (D) and have each 10 internal ratchet teeth (e) into Which the spring bolts, f, in the drum Will successively catch as they revolve, and stop them at the proper places. The first type Wheel is separated from the second a short distance by a collar or Washer (g) placed betWeen them (see Figs. I, and 11,) and the second type Wheel is separated from the third an equal distance by the annular rim (It) connected to the second Wheel, (see Fig. IV.

The type teeth of the third type Wheel, are made separately from the Wheel, and jointed thereto, and have each a long shank fitting into radial slots in the Wheel. A circular groove or recess is made in one face of the Wheel, Which receives the Wire Which Wire passes through holes in the inner ends of the shanlis (2') and holds them securely in place, but alloWing each tooth a joint-like movement, toWard the second type Wheel. A notch is made in the annular rim (71,) and a flat spring placed -therein (see Fig. IV, No. 2). A spring J, is connected to the frame, D, the projecting end of Which Will press against the hinged type teeth of the third Wheel, and press them into the notch in the annular rim, (7L), Whenever the notch arrives at the proper position in the course of its revolution and the spring (j) Will force them out again as soon as they pass the spring (J K, is a 'ratchet Wheel revolving upon a stationary shaft (a) supported in a metal frame (L) Which frame is bolted to the side of the main frame (A).

M, is a cross'head moving vertically in grooves in the side pieces of the frame 1t has a spring paWl connected to it Which operates the ratchet Wheel (K) and the paWl m preventing the ratchet Wheel from moving back. A doWnWard motion is given to the cross head at each doWnWard movement of the platen (B) by the arm (N,) striking against the projection (a) from the cross head, the upWard return motion of the cross head being given by the coiled spring (0) placed beneath it, and Which its doWnWard movement compresses, thus causing the spring' paWl (m) to catch a neW tooth of the ratchet Wheel.

P, is a drum placed loosely upon the same shaft (70), and side by side thereWitlL When as in this case there are 30 teeth in the ratchet Wheel (and in all cases the number of teeth should be divisible by 10 Without a remainder) three flat springs (79,) (see Fig. V) are placed in recesses made to receive them, in the side nextfto the drum. To the free end of each of these springs is fastened a pin (Q,) passing through the ratchet Wheel, and projecting' slightly from the other side as represented in Fig. VH. These pins should be equidistant from each other. A hole is made in the side of the drum adjacent to the ratchet Wheel, into Which as the ratchet Wheel revolves, the pins (g) Will be successively forced by their projecting ends, striking against the cam face, R, secured to the shaft (J) thus forming a connection betWeen the ratchet wheel and drum and causing the movement of the ratchet wheel tov be communicated to the drum through the extent of the cam face. As the pins, g, pass the cam face the springs p, will draw them out from the hole, 1^, in the drum, thus breaking the connection and allowing the drum to be brought back into its original position, by means hereinafter described.

S, is a pawl which operates the numbering` wheel. 1t is connected to the cross bar (S,) at its upper end, by the set screw (S2) the said cross bar being fastened to the main frame A.

T, is a slotted connecting bar, having a longitudinal movement to and fro, being guided in its movement by the arms (t and One end of this bar is connected to the drum (P) by the chain links The pawl S is also connected to the connecting bar T, by the set screw S3. Between the connecting bar, T, and cross bar (S) the pawl is formed into a spring, which will allow the pawl to move laterally with the connecting bar, a distance sufficient to strike the type teeth of the second and third wheels as required. This movement of the connecting bar and pawl, in one direction, is caused by the movement of the drum, P, and the return movement is caused by the coiled spring, U, on the end of the connecting bar, thus bringing the drum P, back to its original position, which position is marked by a notch in the drum, into which the spring' pawl (U) will drop andv stop the drum in its backward movement at the proper time.

V, is the driving shaft, having a fly wheel, (V) and pinion, V2 keyed upon it.

1V, is a crank shaft, having a crank (VV) upon each end, and a spur wheel (VQ) gearing with the pinion V2.

K, are connecting rods between the cranks (V) and the ends of the platen The operation of the machine may be summed up as follows: The three type wheels 1, 2, 3, are set so that the three ciphers will be on a line with each other, and so that the type teeth upon which they are formed will be perpendicularto the plane of the bed upon which the impression is received. It is necessary that they should be set as described after the platen has commenced its downward movement. This first downward movement of the numbering wheel with` the platen, will cause three ciphers to be printed, and cause the arm N, to move the cross head M, and operate the spring pawl (m) so as to move the ratchet wheel (K) one-tooth forward. At the next upward movement of the numbering wheel and platen, the pawl S, striking against a tooth of the first type wheel, will move it one figure in advance, so that at the next downward movement of the. platen and numbering wheel, 1, will be printed-the two ciphers of the second and third type wheels also being printed,` but at t-he left hand of the first. This downward movement of the platen, also moves the ratchet wheel K one tooth in advance. Thus it will be seen that each upward movement of the platen and numbering wheel, causes the pawl S to move the figure into place, which will be printed at their next downward movement, while each downward movement also moves the ratchet wheel K, one tooth'in advance, and so on up to the eighth movement. The eighth upward movement brings the 8, of the first type wheel into place, so that it will be printed at their next or ninth downward movement. This ninth downward movement will bring the projecting end of one of the pins (q) in the ratchet wheel K in contact with the cam face R, which, by forcing it in will cause the opposite end to enter the hole (1) in the drum P, thus connecting the ratchet wheel and drum together. The tenth downward movement of the platen and numbering wheel, will cause 9 to be printed, and at the same time move the ratchet wheel K, one tooth. But the movement of the ratchet wheel K will be communicated to the drum P, as the pin (29) which was forced into the hole in thedrum, at the ninth downward movement, will be still held in that position by the cam face- R. The movement of the drum P, will give an equal movement to'the pawl (S) through the connecting bar T so that at the next, or tenth upward movement of the platen and numbering wheel, the pawl S, will strike a tooth of both, the first and second type wheels, and move them both one figure in advance, thus bringing 10 into place, so that at the next, or eleventh downward movement, l() will be printed. This last downward movement will, by moving the ratchet wheel K, one tooth, as usual, carry the pin (g), past the cam face R, and the spring will instantly withdraw it from the hole (r) in the drum P, and the connection between the ratchet wheel K, and drum P, being thus broken, the drum P will be drawn back into its original position, as will also the pawl S, by the spring U,'on the end of the .connecting bar. The pawl S, will now, through the next 9 upward movements of the platen and numbering wheel, strike only the teeth of the first type wheel as before, but on its tenth upward movement, the pawl will have again been moved by the operation of the ratchet wheel K, and drum P, so as to strike both, first and second type wheels, and bring 20 into place to be printed at the next downward movement. This operation is repeated until 99 is printed when the notch in the annular rim (7L), of the second type wheel, will arrive at the proper place, and the spring J, will force the hinged tooth of the third type wheel, which shall be opposite into the notch The distance which the pawl (S) is moved by the operation of the ratchet wheel K, and drum P as described, must be equal to the thickness of the second type wheel, and the annular rim (It). rlhe downward movement of the platen and numbering wheel, which prints 99, will, by operating the ratchet wheel K, and drum P, move the pawl (S,) so that the next upward movement of the platen and numbering wheel, will cause the pawl to strike against a tooth of, both, the first and second type wheels, and also to strike the tooth of Jthe third wheel, which has been pressed into the'notch in the annular rim (7L,) by the spring (J thus moving the three type wheels at the same time, and bringing 100 into position, to be printed at the next downward movement of the platen and numbering wheel. The flat spring (j,) placed in the notch in the annular rim (it), will press the tooth out again from the notch as soon as freed from the spring J. Another tooth of the third type wheel cannot enter the notch in the annular rim (It), until the second type wheel shall have made another revolution, which will not occur until 199 shall have been printed. But when 199 is printed, the notch in the annular rim (7L) will have again arrived at the proper position, and the next tooth of the third type wheel will be pressed into it, by the spring (J) so that the pawl S, being moved by the ratchet wheel K, and drum P, as usual, will again strike a tooth of each wheel, and moving them all one place in advance, cause 200 to be printed, the operation continuing in this manner until 999 is printed, when the type wheels will have arrived at the starting point ready to commence again.

Though I have contined the description to the operation of one numbering wheel, (composed of 3 type wheels), it is evident, that two or more of like construction may be connected to the platen, each one having a separate pawl S, arranged on the connect-ing bar (T,) so that the same means used for moving one pawl S, will operate each additional pawl, and numbers thereby printed, consecutively from l up to 999 upon separate, or upon coupon tickets. It is also evident that the numbering wheel may be enlarged by adding one or more type wheels to the 3 already described in order to increase the printed numbers to thousands, tens of thousands, and upward, the pawl or pawls for operating which may be brought into place by hand, when required.

Having thus described the construction and operation ot' my improvements, what I claim therein as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Imparting to the pawl S, a lateral movement, to and fro, by means of mechanism substantially as described, so that the pawl will strike and move the irst, second, and third type wheels as required for printing numbers consecutively from l upward to 999.

2. Hinging the type teeth, l, 2, 3, 4, &c. to the third type wheel, for the purposes, and substantially as set forth.

3. A recess, formed in the annular rim 7L, and spring j, in connection therewith, in combination with the spring, J, and hinged type of the third type wheel, for the purposes and substantially as described.

eno. J. HILL.

Titnesses lV. H. FoRBUsH, E. M. Davis. 

